Congratulations, you’ve found the actual BEST Chili Recipe! It’s won dozens of cook-offs and is about to knock your socks off. Made with bacon (and the option to omit bacon if needed) and ground beef and simmered on the stove for just 30 minutes, this is my family’s go-to cool weather comfort food.
Chili Cook-Off Champion!
Something savory/cozy for you today because believe it or not Fall is here, which means cold weather and hearty comfort foods like baked ziti, my favorite meatball recipe, and this best chili recipe!
This recipe is actually one that I shared last year, and since then I’ve made it probably 50 times. Not only am I completely obsessed with it, as of this writing it’s also won over two dozen Chili Cook-offs! While I’ve never entered it into a cook-off myself, so many of you who have tried this chili recipe have commented or e-mailed me that it’s taken home first place and I don’t even know how to express how happy that makes me!
So, yeah, I do feel a little bit extra proud of this chili cook-off champ recipe right here.
Not only does it taste amazing, it’s shockingly simple to make. Basic, no-fuss ingredients and just 30 minutes of simmering yield a complex and rich flavor that’s simply unparalleled.
This best chili recipe (alternating weekly with my potato soup) is on regular dinner rotation for me as soon as the weather starts to dip below 70 degrees. It’s easy to make, incredibly filling, and the flavor is out of this world.
Let’s get started.
How to Make the Actual Best Chili Recipe
- Start with bacon! Cook until crisp, remove to a paper-towel lined plate, and reserve a bit of the grease for cooking your veggies. The flavor that develops from this step elevates a great chili recipe to the best chili recipe.
- Cook your onion and pepper until soft, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add your ground beef, cook until mostly browned (but not all the way cooked through).
- Add all your seasonings.
- Stir well, cooking beef through.
- Add the remaining ingredients (and your bacon from step 1!), give everything a good stir, and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes and until liquid is reduced.
Tip: Make your chili even better by choosing the right toppings when you serve it! Sour cream is a must, but shredded cheddar, corn chips, sliced jalapeños, avocado, or green onions are all great choices, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for at least 3 months.
Kind of. For best flavor, you will still need to follow steps 1-4 of the recipe as written, then you can transfer everything to the crockpot and heat it there (I don’t add the bacon back in until I’m ready to serve). Cook on low until ready to serve.
The bacon imparts an incredible flavor and is the secret ingredient that makes this chili the best chili recipe and an award winner. If you’re entering a cook-off, use it! However, you can leave it out if you absolutely must. Please see the notes in the recipe for instructions on making this chili bacon-free.
I most often use 90% lean ground beef but any percentage will work just fine (I’ve used all of them, but usually end up draining some grease if I use 80%). Ground turkey or chicken or really any ground meat will work here, but keep in mind the flavor will be slightly altered!
What Goes Well with Chili?
Obviously, bread is my chili side-dishes of choice. Because this chili is so hearty and filling on its own, a slice of cornbread makes for a sufficient side for chili.
Enjoy, and make sure to check out my other easy dinner recipes!! And make sure you let me know what you think when you try this! I love hearing about the cook-offs it wins and if you really agree that it’s the all-time BEST chili recipe!
Let’s cook together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
The Best Chili Recipe (Award Winning!)
Ingredients
- 5 strips uncooked bacon chopped¹
- 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 1 lb ground beef (455g) (I use 90% but any will work)
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder²
- 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder²
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³
- 1 ¼ cup beef broth (295ml)
- 15 oz can dark red kidney beans lightly rinsed and drained (425g)
- 15 oz can black beans lightly rinsed and drained (425)
- 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes undrained (411g)
- 7- oz can fire roasted green chilis (198g)
- ¼ cup tomato paste (66g)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Preferred toppings particularly sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips
Instructions
- Place chopped (uncooked) bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp and cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but 1 ½ Tablespoons of grease.5 strips uncooked bacon
- Add onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.1 large yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).3 cloves garlic
- Add beef, breaking apart with a spatula as you cook. Once meat is partially (about 50%) browned, add sugar and all spices (chili powders, paprika, cumin, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper) and stir well.1 lb ground beef, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon chili powder², 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder², 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³
- Add all remaining ingredients — beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce — and your cooked bacon and stir well.1 ¼ cup beef broth, 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, 15 oz can black beans, 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, 7- oz can fire roasted green chilis, ¼ cup tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes to allow flavor to really develop.
- Serve with preferred toppings (sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips are a must!)Preferred toppings
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally shared this chili recipe 10/05/2018. Post has been updated to include more notes, a video, and more helpful information 09/11/2019.
Shannon Hickerson
I made this last night and it is FANTASTIC! I think it might be my favorite chili I’ve ever made. I like to mix recipes so I added a couple things, but your recipe is the star. You’re right, the bacon gives it a whole new depth of flavor and the sugar and ancho chili pepper give it a little something extra as well. I added a jalapeño in with the onion and pepper, a dash of cinnamon in with the spices, and a dark beer in addition to broth and tomatoes. Again, I can’t say enough about how good this turned out. THANK YOU!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Shannon! 🙂
Kris
So I made this chili and OMG! So good! The only modifications I made was angus beef, added jalapeños and HOT Rutela
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Kris! 🙂
Beth
This recipe looks amazing! I have a chili cook-off competition at our church tomorrow and am thinking of using this recipe… Would you recommend making it tonight and letting it simmer, or making it tomorrow (day of competition) for the best flavor?? Also, have you ever made with a little ground sausage in addition to the ground beef or do you think that would be too much with already having the bacon? Thanks for any tips you have!!
Sam
Hi Beth! if you make it tomorrow, just make sure it has enough time to simmer to really get all of the flavors together. If you want to make it tonight, I wouldn’t keep cooking it because you don’t want all of the juice to cook out. I have not tried it with sausage, but my husband would argue you can never have enough meat in your food! I hope you win your chili cook-off. This one has won a few already. Let me know how it goes for you! 🙂
Beth
Thanks for your advice! I waited till this morning to make it so its all done and will simmer for the next fear hours. I gave it a little taste test and it’s AMAZING!!!!! I’ll let you know if its a winner!!
Sam
Yay! So happy to hear you like it and fingers crossed it wins the competition! <3
Beth
Happy to report that it took 1st Place!!! Wahoo!!!! There were over a dozen entries and my crockpot was scraped clean 😉 Thanks again for the award-winning recipe!!!
Sam
YAYY!!!! 🙂
Shaun
Am I supposed to leave the ground beef grease in? Thanks in advance for your response I’m going to try your recipe tomorrow afternoon.
Sam
Hi Shaun, yes I always do. If you prefer you can drain some off but it’s not required. I hope you love it!
leslie
I want to cook this chili for Super Bowl on Sunday. How many does this recipe cook for? I have to feed 20 people and this will be the main dish with a lot of other food.
Sam
Hi Leslie! It will make about 6 servings. 🙂
Amber Welsh
Oh. My. Gosh. How delicious is this! His will be the new staple in this house for chili!
I went a notch further and added a block of cream cheese. simply divine
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Amber! I have not tried it with cream cheese in it, but it sounds good! 🙂
Marsha Cudd
Where can I find Ancho chili powder?
Sam
My grocery store sells it in the spice section. Mine is McCormick brand but any brand will work.
Cari
Going to try this today. Freezing here. -35. I always add chocolate to my chili, will this compete too much with the brown sugar? (Although I am a dark chocolate fan, I use plain Hersheys bar in mine)
Sam
Hi Cari. I have tried it by adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder before and enjoyed it, so as long as you don’t add too much I think it will be fine. 🙂
Prince
How long in a crock pot?
Sam
I haven’t tried this in a crock pot, I think I’d just prep everything on the stovetop to get the best flavor (and to properly cook the bacon, etc.) and then you can keep it warm/simmer in the crockpot as long as you please.
Pam
Can this be done in a slow cooker? Hubby has a chili day at work that I want to make this for.
Sam
Hi, Pam. Honestly my best recommendation would be to prepare everything in the pot and and then transfer to a slow cooker to simmer until ready. You really get good flavors from cooking the bacon and ground beef in the same pot.
Rick
Dark brown or medium brown sugar?
Sam
I’ve used both dark and light brown with success! Either will work, my preference is probably the dark brown (a tad sweeter).
Chris
My chili is just about simmered. A couple tastes I had seemed a bit under seasoned. I hope it gets a little richer. If I prefer a bit more seasoning, which could I add? I tend to go overboard when I do this.
Sam
Hi Chris! It’s a matter of personal taste if you want more seasoning. More chili powder or salt would probably be my first choices.
R
Amazing!
Nina
I made this chili this weekend and it was AMAZING! My husband said that it had to be the best chili he has ever had and I have to agree. This recipe will definitely be saved and made again and again!! Side note: I never had sour cream with chili before and I saw it as a recommended topping and, OH WOW, what a great pairing. I highly recommend trying it if you haven’t already!
Sam
The sour cream really does make it so much better, in my opinion. I am so glad you enjoyed it, Nina. 🙂
Zoe
A friend made this chili and I could have licked my bowl! Went home and made it myself. It’s amazing. The bacon and sugar make such a difference and give it a deeper, smokier flavor. This is my new go to chili!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Zoe! I wouldn’t judge if you licked the bowl, I may or may not have done it myself a few times. 😂
D in Texas
Dumb question, but I’m a rule follower, do I add the bacon bits back into the chili?
Sam
Yup, add them back in when you add the beef broth, beans, etc. 🙂
Bill
I get the whole recipe and it sounds wonderful. I typically cook my ground beef first and drained of the fat. The recipe calls to add to the beef and start breaking up with a spatula. So does the grease from the beef remain, or is it better to use a lean ground beef?
Sam
Hi Bill! I do not drain the grease, so it remains in the chili. If you prefer you can certainly use a leaner beef, it’s just a matter of preference. Last time I made this I used 85% and didn’t drain.